Local Birding – Page 6 – Vermont Birder

Airport Birding

Over the years, I’ve owned a number of small planes and spent a lot of time around airports. Our local airfield is a great place to find some birds and exercise the dog when not much is going on aviation-wise. This summer, Ginger and I have had some nice morning sessions. Here’s one:

Killdeers, always in motion, love the macadam surfaces.

While the state mows too much for grassland birds, Eastern Meadowlarks show up every year.

They even share space, here with a young Common Grackle.

Song Sparrows are great to hear and fun to see.

And here’s my birding buddy, returning down the taxiway without the tennis ball I threw. I think it’s still there in the tall grass.

Enjoy the rest of these summer days. Before long, we’ll be up there looking for Snowy Owls.

Early Summer Birds

Early June is a great time to be outside in Vermont – birds are still singing, young ones are clamoring for food, and everything is lush and green – but ticks abound.

Song Sparrows are everywhere with youngsters trying out the voices.

A new crop of Cedar Waxwings made a cameo appearance the other morning.

This juvenile Baltimore Oriole hiding in the brush was one of several.

Threatened by loss of habitat, Bobolinks are wonderful birds – so much fun to listen to and watch.

Just up the trail, these three gals watched us with great interest. Ginger, on her leash, likewise was ready to play but we moved on.

The Jersey breed was developed so that dairy producers would have “less cow to feed, more cow to milk.”

Ginger pausing on one of the East Montpelier trails.

Some Singers

There is a medley of bird songs in the early hours these days and here are a few of the chorus members.

One of the most common songs is from the many Chestnut-sided Warblers whose “pleased to-pleased to meet ya” calls are easy to identify.

Likewise, the Ovenbird’s “teacher, teacher, teacher” can drown out others trying to get a song in edgewise.

The Northern Waterthrush has a distinct call -a loud, ringing, three-part “*sweet sweet sweet swee wee wee chew chew chew chew*” according to the Cornell site. This guy perched patiently for me as I dealt with a dog leash, binoculars, and the Canon.

Just down the road, these Yellow Warblers were singing, flirting, and just jumping around. They are easy to see but tough to photograph.

Driving Vermont backroads, some early mornings you see more birds than vehicles. It reminds me of the neat bumper sticker, “Caution, I brake for birds.”

Local birds

One of the toughest birds for me to photograph is the Common Yellowthroat. They are everywhere with their “witchety-witchety-witchety” call but usually buried in bushes and always on the move. Here’s one recent shot I got:

Ten kids to protect and raise – not an easy task.

While checking out the airport this morning, I saw a large bird dive into the underbrush up ahead. Parking and searching with the binoculars, I found this young turkey.

As I scanned, I came across this guy, a Wilson’s Snipe, hiding in the grass. You never know what you’ll find when you just slow down and look.

I’m used to seeing these birds flying – “winnowing” using their tail feathers, during courtship.

Some May Sparrows

Song Sparrows bring their joy to our backyard and raise families here.

White-throated Sparrows delight us with their singing.

Here’s my birding buddy who “helps” me find sparrows.

Mid-May Outings – part 1

With migration in full swing and trees leafing out fast, it’s been a good time to get out with the dog and check things out. The other day we came across this guy who was waiting for the morning sun to get up and going.

Shortly thereafter, a Bald Eagle, being harassed by a Common Raven, flew over.

This female Baltimore Oriole never really showed itself but was singing loudly in our back yard.

This Mourning Dove, in the next tree branch over, was a perfect subject, sitting still for minutes.

And just upriver, a Solitary Sandpiper, all by itself, was patiently feeding, ignoring us.

It’s a great time of year in New England for birds and birders. Get out there!

Backyard Surprise

Mid-day, Sally noted an unusual bird out back hassling with the Common Grackles, called me, and we decided that we had our first Brown Thrasher on our list of yard birds. After a brief visit, it came back later when I had the camera available.

It was wary but came back several times during the afternoon.

It even tried the suet, having seen the grackles and woodpeckers eating it.

It was a treat, and now we are waiting for our first hummer of the year — any day now.

Welcome Back

Two days ago, I saw my first group of Canada Geese circling low, looking for places to land, but they moved off to other spots. The river, which had opened up, froze last night but this morning, a small group was gathered on the thin ice and open areas.

Four on thin ice and seven in the water.

Ginger and I were walking on the ice just last week but that’s over now. In a month or so, I hope to be watching these visitors from the kayak as they court and then raise their youngsters, essentially in our back yard.

FOY Hoodies

Ginger and I have a Friday morning routine: take the recycling/trash to the depot and then head up to the airport and Berlin Pond to check for birds. Today, it was too windy to chase balls on the tarmac but we came across this nice pair of Hooded Mergansers.

Hoodies are fun to find but the first pair I see is always a special treat.

I was able to use the car as a blind – and kept from disturbing them.

Saturday Birds

Saturday morning, I fiddled with the camera to try to handle snow scenes better and then went out with the dog to try it out. While getting ready, I got this Red-breasted Nuthatch through the back door windowpane.

We have a couple of these every day – they grab and go quickly.

On a backroad drive, where a cold wind made walking a challenge, there was a flock of Wild Turkeys off in the distance. Pushing the limits of the little Canon, I got this shot.